Our Birds of Prey. 131 
of a more reddish yellow, and the bars on the wing 
become almost oval blotches. 
This species is a big and thickly built bird compared 
with either of the two preceding forms, and, altogether 
apart from its coloration and essential characters, may be 
distinguished from them by its stoutness of body. This 
is the chief representative here of those noble birds of 
prey which during the Middle Ages were so famous in the 
pastime of falconry. It might indeed be termed the South 
American peregrine, This is the first record of this 
species from the colony. 
Easily to be distinguished from any of the preceding 
species is the little kestrel (Tinnunculus isabellinus.) 
This bird is about from 9-10 inches in length and of a 
very variable colour according to size and sex. In the 
adult male it is of a reddish brown tint above, more or 
less barred with black, the head and the coverts of the 
wings being blue, the latter marked with black. The 
tail is tipped with white, succeeded by a broad bar of 
black, the outer feathers more or less marked with 
black and white. The quills of the wings are black, 
barred with white, passing to slaty grey barred with 
black. The throat is white, passing into light brown or 
yellowish-white on the breast, flanks and sides, where 
there are a few dark spots. In the females and young 
males the upper surface is of a much richer reddish 
colour, and the tail is more uniformly barred with bhck. 
This kestrel seems not to occur on the coast, being 
apparently confined to the open savannahs and higher 
lands, where it is generally met with, like its English con- 
gener the wind-hover, poised on the wing, hovering, 
while seeking for the small mammals, reptiles, insects, 
R2 
